Dublin-Navan railway line

The Dublin-Navan line is a planned commuter railway line between Dublin and the town of Navan in County Meath.

History

Proposal

The growth of the economy in County Meath, added to the increase in the population of Navan [ [http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/census2006_volume_1_pop_classified_by_area.pdf Census 2006 – Volume 1 – Population Classified by Area] ] , has led to calls over the past few years for a rail service to be reinstated from Dublin. As part of the Transport 21 plan announced by the Irish Government in 2005, the line to Navan would be rebuilt in two phases as a branch of the Western Commuter line. The first phase would see a 7.5km stretch from the junction west of Clonsilla. This would feature three new railway stations at Hansfield, Dunboyne and a major park and ride interchange next to the M3. It is planned that this becomes operational by 2010. [ [http://www.transport21.ie/PROJECTS/HEAVY_RAIL/Navan_Rail_Line.html Transport 21 - Navan Rail Line] ] The second phase, planned to be complete by 2015, would see the line extended from the Pace/M3 Interchange to Navan itself, with a further station at Dunshaughlin and two in Navan itself.

The implementation of the proposal is hampered by capacity constraints on the lines into Dublin. Dublin Connolly is operating at the limit of its capacity and is unable to take the extra services envisaged by the Navan line. As a consequence, as part of the wider rail plan (which also involves changes to the DART system), a new railway terminus in the centre of Dublin was constructed. Docklands currently serves as the terminus for services on the Western Commuter originating from Clonsilla. [ [http://www.transport21.ie/PROJECTS/HEAVY_RAIL/Docklands_Rail_Station.html Transport 21 - Docklands Railway Station] ] The proposal would have seen this station expanded to become the main terminus for Western Commuter services, including from Navan, as well as a stop for planned DART services through the Interconnector. However, in 2007, Iarnród Éireann announced plans to restore rail services to the long closed Dublin Broadstone station - it was this that IÉ planned to use as its major terminus for commuter services from Mullingar and Navan. [ [http://blogs.mobhaile.ie/leobollins/archive/2007/06/10/242044.aspx Broadstone to Live Again] ] However, in March 2008, the transport minister blocked these proposals in favour of utilising Broadstone for the Luas system, instead encouraging IÉ to seek planning permission to keep Docklands in place as the terminus for the Navan line, as well as services from Maynooth and Kildare. [ [http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2008/02/dempsey-derails-ambitious-ci-plan-and.html Dempsey derails ambitious CIÉ plan and opts for new Luas line] - Irish Times, 06/02/08]

Criticism

Although the proposal to reinstate a rail service between Dublin and Navan has been welcomed, particularly in view of the comparison of cost with the M3 motorway (estimated to be €650 million against €100 million for the railway [ [http://www.tarataratara.net/TARA_pdfs/MeathByRail.pdf Meath by rail...why not?] ] ), there has been criticism over the details of the proposal. The pressure group Meath on Track have been vocal in their criticism of the timescale for reintroducing the full route [ [http://www.indymedia.ie/article/72763 10 years is too long for a reopening Navan railway line] ] , pointing out that a line to Navan already exists. This line, which runs to Drogheda, is only used for freight trains. However, Meath on Track maintain that, although it would need to be upgraded to allow passenger trains to run on it, this could be done relatively inexpensively and would provide an immediate commuter service taking approximately 65 minutes. [ [http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75529 Navan already has a railway line] ]

Criticism has also been levelled at Meath County Council. The pressure group Rail Users Ireland (formerly called "Platform 11") have pointed out that part of the rail alignment planned to Navan has been obstructed by the installation of a sewer main. [ [http://www.railusers.ie/campaigns/navan/response.php Meath CC admit blocking alignment] ] , while there is indication that Meath County Council have also not ensured the protection of the route sufficiently. [ [http://www.railusers.ie/campaigns/navan/problems.php Clonsilla-Navan: It's No Certainty] ]

Various groups have also pointed out that, given the two phase approach to implementing the plan, there will be little benefit to residents of Navan until the line is extended there, due to the planned positioning of the toll collection points at Pace/M3. In addition to the planned station being 18 miles from Navan itself, the toll point will be positioned before drivers reach the station. [ [http://www.railusers.ie/campaigns/navan/ A Rail Service for Navan] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.irishrail.ie/projects/dunboyne_commuter_rail.asp Iarnród Éireann - Dunboyne Commuter Rail]
* [http://www.meathontrack.com/ Meath on Track]